DREDF eNews June 19, 2008 Dear Friends, This eNews issue is devoted to health care. You will find links to information on the DREDF website about our work to improve access to health care for people with disabilities, and to resources, initiatives and programs devoted to challenging barriers to accessible and culturally competent care. Health Care Equity for People with Disabilities Marred by Barriers, Disparities, Discrimination Obtaining and maintaining health insurance coverage and quality health care is critical for everyone, but people with disabilities face additional barriers to receiving adequate health care. These include inaccessible facilities and exam and diagnostic equipment, lack of sign language interpreters, materials in accessible formats and other programmatic accommodations, limits on insurance coverage for assistive technology, and even outright discrimination. Have you experienced physical or programmatic barriers when you sought health care? Email Us Your Story! mailto:info@dredf.org Using Disability Rights Laws to Improve Access What's the problem? http://dredf.org/healthcare/index.shtml What does programmatic access mean in health care? http://dredf.org/healthcare/Healthcarepgmaccess.pdf How can the ADA and Section 504 increase access and accommodations? http://dredf.org/healthcare/index.shtml#usingada DREDF Projects and Collaborations Restoring Durable Medical Equipment Coverage in California http://dredf.org/healthcare/index.shtml#remove_benefit The California Disability Health Coalition http://dredf.org/healthcare/index.shtml#ensuring The National Council on Disability Research Project on the Current State of Health Care for Americans with Disabilities http://dredf.org/healthcare/index.shtml#council Collaboration with San Francisco Health Plan DREDF is collaborating with the San Francisco Health Plan to identify methods to increase the capacity of health care providers who are part of the Plan's network to provide programmatic accommodations to members who have disabilities. Publications and Legislation Institute of Medicine - The Future of Disability in America http://www.dredf.org/healthcare/ExecSumIOMstudy2007.pdf Proposed Federal Legislation - Medicare Competitive Bidding http://www.unitedspinal.org/advocacy/medicare-competitive-bidding-may-affect-your-wheelchair/ Federal Agencies Health and Human Services Office on Disability http://www.hhs.gov/od/ Centers for Disease Control Disability and Health http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dh/default.htm Women with Disabilities http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/women/default.htm Agency for Health Care Research and Quality - Specific Populations http://www.ahrq.gov/populations/disabix.htm Office of the Surgeon General - Call to Action http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/disabilities/ Candidates on Health Care John McCain http://personalinsure.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=personalinsure&cdn=money&tm=4&f=00&su=p649.0.147.ip_&tt=2&bt=1&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.johnmccain.com/healthcare/ Barack Obama http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/HealthPlanFull.pdf Donate http://www.dredf.org/donate.shtml Combined Federal Campaign #11944 Contact Us mailto:info@dredf.org http://www.dredf.org 2212 Sixth Street Berkeley, CA 94710 510-644-2555 DREDF is grateful to the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Community Benefits Program for a grant to support this newsletter. 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